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[ When you open your eyes again the first thing that you, and your teammates, may notice is that you are confined within an iron cage, rectangle in shape. Further inspection will reveal that outside of the cage is a large structure of sorts, reaching far above you. It kind of looks like an unfinished clock tower, really... there are spots that look finished and bolted tightly, and others that look like they had been left once and the work never thought of again.

Also, it's pretty chilly. You might get to notice that.

It's foggy and windy—the kind of wind that howls and roars, jostling your cage against the tall shaft, and every so often you feel as though you might have had the ghost of a raindrop on you. The tower-like build creaks horribly ominously in the wind, and you can see the rusted metals swaying slightly. But if you decide to look around...

Flapping above you (and not helping with the wind) is a harpy-like creature, iron chains wrapped around their talons. Though, maybe it's more like a lion? The chains are bolted to the top of your cage. There are also little indicators on the structure, the same distance apart, that seem to be declaring different levels or heights. They look horribly unhappy to be here, but they're also impressive at ignoring any call you might have for them.

There's a door to the cage, but it won't open, even if it's just a simple-looking locking mechanism. If you peer out, it's too foggy on the ground to make out very much, but you can make out nine other, tower-like structures with similarly flapping harpies. Each one, including your own, has an emblazoned emblem of every team's patron monster, so that you can see where everyone is—it's just difficult to make out exactly who may be in each one. Even more difficult to try and communicate like this.

Attached to the door is an aged metal panel with a screen and four buttons; two to choose between the team names that appear on the dark green and black screen, and two to choose whether you wish for that team to go up or down.

After a moment, a little speaker in the corner starts playing an incredibly bad quality version of this.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

. . . Has Minato told you anything about what happened when he made a purchase from the prison shop?

[He squeezes his arm around her snugly, comforting.]

No?

[ She lifts her head a little at that, just enough to look up at his face. ]

Well. I think the whole story is his to tell, not mine. But we did learn a little more about the Warden. I believe her goal is to make our bodies into permanent hosts for our possessions, and to do that, she needs to break our wills.

[He looks down at her, solemn, but not overly dramatic. It's not the kind of thing he thinks she'll be surprised to hear.]

[ She isn't; instead, she nods slowly. ]

I think she's looking for someone. Maybe more than one someone? But for whatever reason, she thinks that she'll find who she's looking for in one of our possessions. And maybe she will--not in someone like you or me, where we know exactly who we've got with us... but say, someone like Minato-kun. He's just got a ghost of some sort, right?

But if she finds them, and she lost them before... I think she'd be willing to do whatever she could to make sure that person could stay with her.

. . . That's possible, yes. I—there are theories. I don't know if this is a good place to go into them. She's surely listening in right now if she's ever listening in at all. But you seem to have come to nearly the same conclusions on your own. She is looking for someone.

It's just a guess--I talked to her briefly. After I woke up from all of-- [ she makes a vague gesture at her chest, at her heart ] --and she was there. It really sounded like she was hoping to find someone.

What did she say to you? I think she must have said similar to some others. I wasn't able to get to her in time myself.

Not much that was really coherent. Just, saying that she was so close, and when she talked to me, it was pretty obvious she wasn't talking to me.

Ha . . . it's almost enough to pity her. Only almost.

...I feel bad for her.

[ Of course she does. ]

It's not an excuse for anything she's done, but... she just seems to be really, really lonely, to me.

. . . You're a kind-hearted woman. In a just world, she would reward that . . . you could offer her your sympathy and understanding, and she would respond. Things would change. Maybe someday. As it stands now—even if she's capable of that, she isn't ready for it.

Probably not. But that's fine. I'm used to waiting that sort of thing out.

But even if she doesn't want to listen to me, I'd like to think someone can get through to her eventually.

Perhaps. Though the question is whether that will happen before someone less sympathetic than you are gets to her first.

Gets to her first... as in, someone who might try to kill her?

Exactly. I think that's very likely to happen if the possibility ever opens up.

I don't think you're wrong.

But if someone tried--I wouldn't be able to just stand aside and let it happen, you know? If I knew someone was going to, I'd try to stop them. I just don't think killing someone is ever the answer.

[ She puts her head back down on his shoulder, sighing. ]

Revenge just always seems like a bad idea to me.

[He brings his hand up to rub her shoulder and squeeze it gently in his palm.]

Haaaa . . . maybe our last traumatic trial in this place will be the lot of us debating what her ultimate fate will be. We'll tear one another apart. More than over any cannibalism madness.

Maybe... but I'm willing to stand up for that, if I have to.

But there's a saying I've always heard--if you dig a grave for revenge, dig two, because the other is for you. So even if everyone is against me, I'll stick to what I think is right.

I know you will. I expect nothing less of you.

[He leans over to kiss her cheek.]

[ She doesn't startle for once, but she lifts her head a little, giving him a small lopsided smile. ]

Sorry in advance for the headache that'll be for you.

You know, I couldn't tell you what I'll do when that time comes.

[He leans his head with hers, drifting in the comfort while they have it.]

You'll do whatever you think is right at the time.

[ She stays leaning against him, taking a slow careful breath, soothing. ]

Even if it means standing against me. I trust that you'll make the choice you feel is the right one.

Ah . . . I hope so. I've never much thought of myself as that kind of person.

Really? I think you're the kind of guy who thinks a lot about this sort of thing. And maybe you don't always act on what you decide on, but... I think, when it's something that will really matter to you, you'll do it.

Ha, well. I do overthink everything. You're right about that one. I don't know if I overthink what's morally correct . . . maybe more now than I once did.

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